Best Digital Ballast For Your Indoor Garden

When you are looking for the best digital ballast that suits your needs, you may end up with a few considerations to make sure you are getting the most out of your budget.

A good way to ensure that you are making the right choice is that you can refer to online reviews as these can give you better chances of getting the ideal option that suits your needs.

For you to get a better chance at investing in the right digital ballast that suits your requirements, it is essential to understand what ballast is and also, to know a few important considerations when looking to buy one.

Generally there are two types of ballasts used for indoor gardens – the first is the magnetic ballast and the second is the digital ballast. For those looking to make the most out of their money, it is advised to go with the latter.

Why is digital ballast better than magnetic ballast? This is for the reason that it is the more economical choice as well as the most energy efficient. Also, this kind of ballast requires lesser maintenance and upkeep which is a common problem among indoor garden owners.

What Is A Ballast?

So what is a digital ballast? If you listen to your bulb, you’ll hear a buzzing sound – that buzzing sound is caused by the ballast. It is built to operate a number of bulbs at the same time. Also, it can operate various lighting sources provided that it falls under the suggested or accepted voltage.

Also, ballasts make use of 3 starting types – the programmed, the rapid and the instant starting methods. It also provides voltage to lamps seeing that it is the lamp’s main source of power.

It also serves as a regulator for the lamp ensuring that an adequate supply of voltage is delivered to each lamp. Lastly, it also keeps you safe from overheating as well as lamp burnouts which can lead to fires or explosions.

What To Look For In Your Ideal Digital Ballast

Getting into buying the ideal digital ballast that suits your needs can be quite a challenge for the reason that there are many available options in the market. To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve compiled the important considerations that you have to make for that best digital ballast.

These considerations consist of:

1. Dimming

When dealing with the features of a ballast, you may want to check out its dimming capability first. This feature allows you to manage the light intensity of the bulb as well as its power consumption.

Many modern ballasts today are equipped with the design that allows users to dim lights to as low as 50% where it delivers lesser power consumption.

2. Bulb Protection Features

Bulb protection is a handy feature that should be considered if you want to make the most out of your money and ensure that you are buying a long lasting ballast.

Among those bulb protection features that digital ballasts use include longevity, line quality, ignition volt control and many others. Those with a decent set of bulb protection features can last for a decade so it is important to always bear this in mind whenever buying a ballast for your bulb.

3. Radio Frequency Shielding

Ballasts emit radio frequencies that can be quite bothersome for other frequencies emitted by electronic devices, radios and even phones. A good way to deal with this problem is by making sure that your ballast is equipped with a feature that cannot interfere with other frequencies.

The best way to deal with this problem is through a decent radio frequency shielding for your ballast.

4. Flexibility

The ballast’s flexibility involves its ability to adapt to different bulbs with varying voltage requirements. It should be able to work with boost hovers as well as other accessories that may come with using the ballast.

5. Low Temperature

One common problem that is encountered with prolonged use of lighting is the overheating. Not only can overheat cause short circuits but can also make plants cease growing because of too much transpiration due to heat.

For you and your plant’s safety, choose a ballast that has good quality with excellent temperature management.

6. Produces Low Noise

Of course when it comes to the ideal ballast, you would want one that doesn’t produce noise. Today, there is a number of modern ballast that produces absolutely no noise when in use. Of course buying such a ballast with amazing feature could cost more compared to its competitors.

Top 5 Digital Ballasts Today

There are a number of good digital ballasts out there that can provide you with the basic things you need from a ballast. However, only a few could be ideal for your specific needs.

To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve already picked out the top 5 options for you. Each of these options deliver optimum quality and features that a modern indoor gardener needs for his garden.

1. iPower GLBLST600D

Among the best sellers from iPower is the iPower GLBLST600D for it is handy, durable as well as affordable and can be managed by both the professional and the starting indoor gardener.

It comes with some unique features which makes the user manage the ballast with ease. Among these features include the adjustable voltage output which enables dimming adjustment for the bulb.

One more unique feature that this product has is its great flexibility which allows users to install MH as well as HPS lamps with ease. Also, this product is loved by many because it works with very minimal noise.

Lastly, this equipment is much lighter compared to others to provide easy installation as well as to easily move the equipment. In case you are looking for a durable as well as effective digital ballast to suit your indoor garden needs then the iPower GLBLST600D could be your best choice yet.

PROS

User-friendly and easy to install

Lightweight with thin design for better portability and convenience

Comes with an array of unique features

Durable parts and quite easy to obtain in hardware stores

Exclusive 2 years of warranty comes with the package

CONS

Requires optimum ventilation

May require purchase of surge protector

Over heats from constant use for large bulb wattage

2. APL1000 Apollo Horticulture

One of the most dynamic invention of Apollo Horticulture in terms of indoor gardening is the Apollo Horticulture - APL1000. It comes with a sleek design and right purple color with 1000 watt capability.

It is made available with low-noise performance feature along with an amazing power output which is hard to achieve for other digital ballasts. It also offers a good level of flexibility as it can be powered using 120-volt or 240-volt power.

It has a top-class durability which offers optimum efficiency as well as versatility without having to compromise affordability.

It is designed with a two m power cord to give you a better range and to position the ballast in the most convenient places in your indoor garden. The best part about this product is that it comes with a 3-year warranty.

PROS

Safety auto-off feature

Silent performance

Works with HPS and MH lamps

Adjustable and flexible

Comes with good warranty

CONS

A bit more expensive than other options

Heats over multiple connected bulbs

3. Hydroponic 600 Watt VIVOSUN

When considering dimmable digital ballast without compromising other features and budget range, we would recommend the VIVOSUN Hydroponic 600 Watt. It can manage 250 to 600 watts of lamps with 120 and 240 volts for its power source.

One excellent thing about this product is that it offers 110% lumens capacity which is ideal for gardening in the night or in dreary times. Indeed it can work with any kind of lamp. However, it provides the optimum effects through 600 HPS as well as MH lamps.

It is designed with reflectors that are constructed from a number of reflective GI steel along with German aluminum which provides optimum durability. With this unique feature, you can make use of a wide variety of bulbs without having to change or switch to a corresponding wattage.

Among those things that professionals love about this product is that it is designed with a 1 week dual outlet time. This allows users to manage light outputs, ventilation as well as wattage distribution for each lamp.

Also, it comes with an ignition failure protection to reduce circuit damage as well as short circuits. The best part is that it offers 3 years of warranty upon purchase

PROS

Good number of years for its warranty

Multiple protection features

Responsive customer support

Lengthy cord of 8 feet to reach distant power supplies

Reduced chances of lamp failure

CONS

A bit pricier compared to other models

Overheats without prior maintenance and upkeep

4. Purple Reign Apollo Horticulture

One more digital ballast from Apollo Horticulture that is worth a spot in this list is the Apollo Horticulture Purple Reign. It is also a common favorite among indoor garden owners because it works flexibly with lights that require power with ranges 400, 600 and 1000 watts.

The Purple Reign is likewise a popular choice because it offers optimum durability which ensures that you are getting the most out of your money for years.

Today, there are a lot of ballasts that offer dimmable features however only a few can off the flexibility regarding wattage that you would need. Also, it offers efficiency without the noise.

It comes with a digital display that allows you to access all information in managing this ballast. It also has a notched dial which enables easy switching.

Lastly, overheating is no longer a problem when you purchase this ballast because it has an amazing airflow that allows cooler air to flow through the unit and refresh the plants.

5. Solis-Tek Matrix LCD

The last digital ballast that deserves a spot on this top 5 list is the SolisTek Matrix LCD. If you’re looking for a more ‘techy’ type of ballast then this option could be the best there is for you.

It has a software-built system that allows for 120 and 240 voltage requirements of lamps. It is even designed with a digital timer to let you know all the necessary info about the product and lets you customize your settings with ease.

It is a dimmable unit and offers a number of wattage settings without compromising affordability. It is designed with a green color to match the aesthetics of a garden and is designed durable to make sure you get your money’s worth.

PROS

Can be used with a wide variety of voltages

Handy digital timer for scheduling of gardening tasks

Easy to operate with the remote control

Helpful ignition control for convenient lamp starts under desired sequence

Comes with 3 years of warranty

CONS

Multiple features requires a pricey amount

Not very advisable for starters since installation can be quite confusing

Our Final Words

Digital ballasts are indeed an excellent choice in managing the lighting for your indoor garden. For this we would recommend the iPower GLBLST600D for the reason that there is no need to worry about overheating as well as the noise produced by ballasts.

Furthermore, it is an excellent choice because both the starters and professionals could use it and make the most out of it with ease. Moreover, it is quite affordable despite its effectiveness.

To top it off, you should always bear in mind that while ballasts play an important role to your gardening and it comes with unique features, it could also cause injuries and problems if not given proper maintenance and upkeep.

So, to make sure that your ideal digital ballast lasts for longer is to provide optimum maintenance.

We hope that this discussion about the best digital ballast that suits your needs have been helpful for you. For questions and suggestions on the top digital ballasts the market today, please check out our comment box located below.

My name is Emily Taylor, gardening is my passion and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone. I know that there are millions of people out there want their backyard and garden be attractive just like their front yard, so I am here to help you create your own backyard paradise.